Funnel.



E. E. LUNDSTROMJ Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

WITNESSES Mg ATTORNEY ELMER E. LUNDSTROM, OF STUART, IOWA.

FUNNEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

I Application filed December 5, 1917. Serial No. 205,553.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELMER E. LUNDSTROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Stuart, in the county of Guthrie and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Funnels, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to funnels, and more particularly to a funnel soconstructed as to prevent overflow of a container into which liquid isbeing poured.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a funnel of thecharacter stated of simple construction and operation which may beproduced at small cost. A further object is to provide a funnel whichacts automatically to shut off the flow of liquid from the funnel whenthe liquid has reached a predetermined level in the container. A stillfurther object is to provide a funnel having a control valve or closuremember which, when the liquid being poured into the container hasreached-a predetermined level, will be forced into closed or seatedposition by the action of the liquid within the funnel. Further objectswill appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a funnel constructed inaccordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The funnel is provided with an upper inverted frusto-conical body 1 thelower end of which communicates with the cylindrical neck or tube 2. Ahorizontal annular flange 3 is formed intermediate body 1 and neck 2.This flange provides a seat for a disk valve 4 which is pivoted to thebody 1 as at 5 so as to completely close the upper end of the neck whenin lowered position. This valve is provided, on its underface, with adepending ear 6 which is pivotally secured to the upper end of a link 7the lower end of which is pivotally secured to the inner end of a lever8 rockably mounted intermediate its ends on a pin 9 extendingtransversely of the neck 2. The outer end of this lever is pivoted tothe upper end of a connecting rod 10 the lower end of which is looselysecured to the upper end of a float 11. This float is operative in acasing formed by an arcuate partition member 12 secured in neck 2 andcooperating therewith to provide a cylindrical casing which permitsvertical movement of the float and serves to guide the float during thismovement. The forward arm of lever 8 operates through a slot 13 providedthrough the partition member 12, at the upper end thereof, for thispurpose. This valve 4 is provided at the center of its upper face with alug 14 through which is loosely secured the lower end of a lifting rod15 which projects through an opening 16 through the body 1 of thefunnel, this rod being turned over at its upper end to provide a fingergrip 17 The valve 4 may be raised by means of this rod so as to fitsnugly within the lower end of an arcuate sheet metal housing or casing18 secured to the inner face of the body 1 of the funnel and cooperatingtherewith to form a casing into the lower end of which a valve fitssnugly when raised.

In using this funnel, the valve is raised so as to be positioned withinthe lower end of casing 18 as indicated in Fig. 1. The liquid is thenpoured into the funnel and the back pressure of this liquid as it flowsthrough the restricted passage between valve 4: and the inner face ofthe funnel body, serves to hold the valve in raised position. As thevalve is entirely within the casing 8 when raised, it is impossible forany downward pressure to be exerted on the upper surface of the valve bythe liquid poured into the funnel. When the liquid within the containerwhich is being filled reaches such a level as to raise the float 11, thevalve 4 will be rocked down wardly out of the casing 18. When thishappens, the liquid being poured into the funnel will engage the uppersurface of the valve so as to force the same downward onto the annularflange 4, the valve being maintained in this position by the pressure ofthe liquid within the funnel body 1. By

this means, the supply of liquid to the con tainer will be automaticallycut off when the liquid within the container reaches a predeterminedlevel thus efi'ectually preventing overflow of the liquid from thecontainer being filled.

What I claim is:

1. In a funnel, a body and a depending pouring tube carried thereby, adisk valve pivotally secured in said body adjacent its periphery so asto be rockable toward and away from said tube, said valve being adaptedto shut oif communication between the body and pouring tube when inlowered position, a downwardly and inwardly inclined casing securedwithin the body of the funnel and adapted to snugly receive the valve inits lower end when said valve is raised, the valve when raisedcooperating with the casing and the funnel body to pro vide a restrictedpassage for the flow of liquid poured into the funnel body into thepouring tube, and float operated means for moving the valve downwardlyout of said casing.

2. In a funnel, a body and a dependingpouring tube carried thereby, aflange formed on the interior of the body adja cent the upper end of thepouring tube, a

vertical partition formed in the pouring tube and dividing the same intotwo compartments, a disk valve hingedly connected to the body andadapted to engage the flange when in lowered position, a lever pivotallyconnected within the tube, adjacent the Copies of this patent may beobtained for five cents each, by addressing the upper ends thereof andextending through the vertical partition, a rod pivotally con nected toone end of the lever within one compartment, a float carried by the rodand operable in the compartment, a link connecting the opposite end ofthe lever and the disk valve, a downwardly and inwardly inclined casingsecured within the body and adapted to receive the valve in its lowerend when said valve is raised, the lower end of said casing terminatingabove the upper end of the pouring tube to form a restricted openinginto the tube, and means for raising the valve.

In testimony whereof I in presence of two witnesses.

, ELMER E. LUNDSTR-OM. Witnesses: V R. M. SAYRE P. T. WYTIE.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G."

afiiX my signature L

